Category Archives: July 1917

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Reference Attached Map.
The Artillery arrangements for the general pushing forward of patrols on the 18th Divisional front from the GREEN LINE at zero plus 8 hrs. 40 mins. are as follows. Similar arrangements have been made for the patrols of the 30th and 8th Divisions.
FIELD ARTILLERY.
A. 30th Divisional Artillery Group (less 1 Brigade).
Plus 7.40 – 8.40. Search 18th and 30th Divisional areas between the protective barrage line and the first line of posts to be established with all available guns (probably 5 Brigades R.F.A.) at rate of 1 round per gun per minute.
B. Plus 8.40. – 9.5. Search 18th Divisional area between the 1st and 2nd line of
posts to be established, and form protective barrage on 18th and 30th Division flank and front line from J.10.d.5½.6. northwards.
Not to fire within 400 yards of the western line of posts after 9 hours.
Rate of fire 1 round per gun per minute.
NOTE. In all cases, when searching forward from the protective line in front of the GREEN LINE at 7 hrs. 40 mins. sufficient 18 pdrs will be kept on this line till 8hrs. 40 mins. to mark its limits.
CORPS HEAVY ARTILLERY.
A. Plus 7 hrs. 40mins. – 8.40 mins. Search area on 8th and 18th Divisional front
between the protective barrage line and the first line of posts to be established, with 36 heavy guns and howrs., and paying particular attention to all houses and woods in area. Rate of fire ½ round per gun per minute.
B. Plus 7.40 – 8.40. Four 9.2” Hows. And six 60 pdrs. Search trenches in
BROODSEINDE – MOLENAARELSHOEK from J.4.b.6.0. – D.28.b.9.3.
Rate of fire ½ rounds per gun per minute.
C. P8.40 – 9.5. Search area on 8th and 18th Divisional fronts with every
available gun and howitzer, between the 1st and 2nd line of posts to be established, but not to shoot within 500 yards of the Western line after 9 hours and to pay particular attention to the trench system from J.4.b.4.0. to the railway at D.22.b. west of BROODSEINDE – NOORDEMHOEK RIDGE and to the Ridge itself. Rate of fire 1 round per gun per minute till 8 hrs. 50 and then ½ rate.

From 9 hrs. 5 to 9 hrs. 30 the protective barrage covering the 8th and 18th Divisions will be formed by 52 heavy and medium guns and howitzers and all the F.A. of 8th and 30th Divisional Artillery Group which can reach, 500 yards in front of the line of posts.
The protective barrage is shewn in ORANGE on Map.

From 9 hours 30 minutes onwards this line will remain the S.O.S. line till news is received of the exact positions where posts have been established.

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From the above it should be noted –

(1). That the protective barrage 500 yards in front of GREEN LINE will require to be clearly watched to see when it lifts. There will be so much shooting further to the west that unless watched it might lift unnoticed.
(2). There will be no creeping barrage in front of the patrols.
(3). The quicker patrols make ground the more advantage will they be able to take of the confusion created by the area shooting which is taking place east of them.

(1) The RAID on DEVILS TRENCH will take place to-night 26th inst. Zero hour 10.45 p.m.

(2) Barrages will be those laid down in Sa/37 as amended by Sa/39 only.

(3) The Howitzers will shoot as laid down but will take 1 gun off their barrage for the following special task.
M.G. at I.26.c.93.14.
Rate of fire for this Howr
Zero to Zero +6 ………… 3 rounds per min.
Zero +6 to Zero +16……. 1 “ “ “
Zero +16 to Zero +30…….2 “ “ “
Ammunition BX with a few LACHRAMATORY mixed in if favourable.

(1) Reference RIGHT GROUP O.O. No. 1 dated 21/7/17, the Raid will now be postponed 24 hours owing to the feared loss of 3 prisoners last night.

(2) A Dummy Raid will take place at 10.30 p.m. to-night on the same portion of DEVILS Trench.

(3) The portion of the Bombardment from ZERO to ZERO plus 5 will be carried out but all guns detailed for Barrage A will be put down at ZERO on Barrage B.
RATE OF FIRE 3 rounds per gun and 2rounds per Howitzer per minute.

(4) 86th Battery. The special gun mentioned in Table Y will not fire.
(5) Watches will be synchronised by telephone at 7 p.m.

Both above Howitzers will fire 3 rounds per Howitzer per minute from ZERO to ZERO plus 6.
1 round per Howitzer per minute from ZERO plus 6 to ZERO plus 16.
2 rounds per Howitzer per minute from ZERO plus 16 to ZERO plus 30.
A few lachrymatory shell will be used by these Howitzers if wind is favourable.
ZERO HOUR will be 10.45 p.m.
ACKNOWLEDGE.

RIGHT. GROUP.
(1) The raid will not take place tonight.
(2) The raid will take place on the night of the 26/27th inst.
(3) ACKNOWLEDGE.
(4) J.E. Lucket
2ND Lt. R.F.A. for
For Officer Commanding RIGHT GROUP. R.F.A.

MESSAGES AND SIGNALS
TO USE
Senders Number Day of Month In reply to Number
S/1 22
Reference amendment no 2 to Right Group order no 1AAA for I.15. read I.26.
From: SHED
Place:
Time:
Signature of Addressee

(1) A raid will be carried out by the 1st Battn Hampshire Regt. on the night July 24th/25th.
Limits of raid I.32.a.15.05. – I.32.a.00.30. & the M.G. emplacement at I.32.a.16.25.

(2) Reference hour will be 10.30 pm.

(3) Zero time will be given later in minutes minus or plus Reference Hour. Watches will be set from this office at 7.30 pm.
(4) The Battery Commander of the Battery doing LIAISON on that night will be at Battn H.Q. during the operation.

(5) Tasks as follows.
18 prs.
Barrage A. Zero to Zero +2 mins.
108 Battery 6 guns) I.32.c.00.90. – I.31.b.90.15.
C/23 1 gun )
(The gun of C/23 will be on the left of this Zone)
Barrage B. Zero to Zero +4 mins.
107……….…all guns ) I.32.a.15.00. – I.32.a.00.30.
C/23..remaining guns)
(107 on right half, C/23 on left half of this Zone)
At Zero +2 mins Barrage A double back Barrage B and conforms with it subsequently.
Zero +4 to Zero +30. creep forward at rate of 100x every minute until Barrage is formed on
I.32.a.50.30. – I.32.a.35.60.
Zero +30 Stop!

(1) All Artillery fire will die down to normal by 10 a.m. on 19th July.
In order to emphasise the salvo which will be fired by a battery of the 63rd Brigade as a signal for the Infantry to assault, there will be no Artillery fire on the 12th Division front between 2.45 p.m. and 3 p.m. on 19th July.
(2) In para. 3, line 1, after ‘as follows’
Insert “All Field Artillery batteries from Zero plus 10 secs onwards”.
(3) ACKNOWLEDGE.
C.A. Clowes Major,
Brigade Major R.A. 12th Divn.
Copies to all recipients of
12th D.A. Order No. 55.

1. The 37th Infantry Brigade is attacking the German block in S.E. corner of LONG Trench this evening. The 35th Infantry Bde. is pushing posts out N. of GREEN LANE; which with the posts already established by the 37th Brigade, will act as a covering party, whilst the new trench 100 yards West of LONG Trench is consolidated and wired.

2. Zero hour will be 9.45 p.m., when the infantry will move East and South from posts already held along LONG Trench.

3. At 9.55 p.m. a protective barrage will be formed, principally to keep down M.G. fire and prevent hostile reinforcements moving up.